NewsOK: Oklahoma City News, Sports, Weather & Entertainment

Pay raise and funding changes part of Stitt's education platform

Another teacher pay raise, adjustments to the school funding formula and streamlining student data are all policy proposals Gov.-elect Kevin Stitt has made as part of a pledge to make Oklahoma a top 10 state in education.

Whether that's top 10 in test scores, graduation rates or another metric of performance, Stitt hasn't been specific, except to say he wants to transform a public school system that has drawn attention in recent years for its struggles.

An education funding increase has been labeled a priority by most legislative leaders, including Stitt, who takes office in January.

But Stitt wants to make changes to how that money flows to students, according to a list of education policy proposals he released during the campaign.

Stitt said he wants to simplify the school funding formula, which provides schools with additional funds for various circumstances experienced by students, such as living in poverty or a lack of English proficiency.

Sen. Gary Stanislawski, R-Tulsa, is the chair of the Senate education committee and has headed up a task force over the past two years to review the state's funding formula.

He expects changes to be proposed next year and believes the governor-elect will be supportive.

“We want to improve the system and I think we can get that done next year,” Stanislawski said.

He said he expects to see legislation that would increase the funding for students in poverty, requiring speech therapy and facing other challenges.

Stanislawski also wants to change the funding formula for bilingual students, ending the additional funds once a student reaches proficiency in English, rather than the current system of following them for their entire school career.

Stitt's education policy proposals also include allowing high-­performing schools to seek accreditation every three years, rather than the current annual requirement.

Education policy committee

Other ideas to ease the burden on school districts could come out of an education policy committee that Stitt has already created, which includes superintendents, educators and lawmakers as members, including Rep. Rhonda Baker, a former teacher and current chair of the House common education committee, and Millwood Public Schools Superintendent Cecilia Robinson-Woods.

"I think a good plan is going to come out of this group and we are going to have some innovative ideas to help move Oklahoma schools forward," said Tristy Fryer, a former teacher and education advocate who is on Stitt's committee.

Fryer said the committee held a four-hour meeting this month and will meet again in the coming weeks as it helps create policy goals for Stitt to consider when he takes office on Jan. 14.

Another teacher pay raise is likely to be a central part of Stitt's education platform as he has consistently promoted his desire to make Oklahoma educators the highest paid in the six-state region.

(Story continued below...)

“Teacher pay is a first-year priority for me,” Stitt said last month.

Following the teacher pay raise approved by lawmakers earlier this year, Oklahoma ranks second in the region, about $1,200 behind Texas. It would take an additional $52 million, at least, to bump Oklahoma ahead of Texas, assuming its own teacher pay averages remain the same.

The Legislature will have some additional money to spend next year, with most estimates starting at an additional $300 million for general revenue.

That's enough to cover Stitt's proposed pay raise, but other agencies are also clamoring for more funding, including the state Department of Education, which has requested an additional $440 million that doesn't include a pay raise.

Stitt has said he plans to be aggressive on education policy in his first year in office, addressing both funding and policy.

"When you hear how much Stitt and (lawmakers) are talking about education, it makes us optimistic," said Pam Deering, executive director of the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration.

Deering said she appreciates Stitt's desire to focus on recruiting and retaining teachers and she is especially eager to hear more about how to create a long-term funding plan to ensure classrooms are properly equipped and schools can rehire some of the support staff lost in recent years due to budget cuts.

"We feel there are more people in the Legislature who are willing to look closer at education this year, and it looks like we have a governor who ... has a lot of ideas," Deering said. "I do have a sense of optimism around that."

Education policy

The following are education policy proposals made by Gov.-elect Kevin Stitt as part of his transition plan and statements made on the campaign trail.

• Teacher pay: Give Oklahoma the highest average teacher compensation in the region by the 2019-­2020 school year; create a teacher signing bonus by partnering with school districts to match dollar-­for-­dollar up to $5,000 for first time or returning teachers.

• Teacher certification: Standardize the teacher certification test by moving to the Praxis test; abolish the requirement for teachers to pay a renewal fee every five years for recertification.

• School management: Allow high-­performing schools to move to a three-­year reaccreditation process, instead of annually; streamline data in public education and encourage information collaboration between common education, career tech, and higher education.

• Student support: Request a task force to deliver recommendations of ways the state can partner with communities to provide needed support for students and families, especially those who have experienced trauma.

Ben Felder

Ben Felder is an investigative reporter for The Oklahoman. A native of Kansas City, Ben has lived in Oklahoma City since 2010 and covered politics, education and local government for the Oklahoma Gazette before joining The Oklahoman in 2016....
Read more ›